Common tourist scams and how to avoid them

Most tourist scams follow a handful of scripts: a "free" gift you then have to pay for, a photo that turns into a fee, a friendly stranger who steers you to an overpriced bar or shop, a taxi without a meter, a street game you can't win. Below are 18 of the most common ones, grouped by type, with the places where travelers meet them most.

"Free" gifts you have to pay for

1. The friendship bracelet

Someone greets you warmly and ties a string bracelet around your wrist "as a gift" before you can react — then demands money, sometimes loudly, with friends gathering round. Classic spots: the steps of Sacré-Cœur in Paris, Piazza del Duomo in Milan and Syntagma Square in Athens; in Salvador, Brazil, it's the colorful Bonfim ribbons. Avoid it: keep your hands in your pockets and keep walking. Don't let anyone take your wrist.

2. Rosemary and roses "for luck"

A sprig of rosemary is pressed into your hand near the Royal Palace in Madrid or the cathedral in Seville, followed by an unrequested palm reading and a demand for payment. In Cologne and on Munich's Marienplatz, the same trick uses a rose pinned to your clothes. Avoid it: don't accept anything handed to you on the street.

3. The "free" CD

Aspiring musicians on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (and in Times Square) hand you a CD, sign it with your name, then ask for a "donation". Avoid it: don't take it, not even to be polite.

Photos that turn into fees

4. Costumed characters

Superheroes and cartoon characters in Times Square, New York, and men dressed as gladiators by the Colosseum in Rome pose with you happily, then won't let you go without a payment. In Cusco, it's women in traditional dress with alpacas, charging per person and per animal in the shot. Avoid it: if you don't want to pay, don't pose — or agree on a price before the camera comes out.

5. The "free" camel ride

At some tourist spots around Dubai you're offered a free ride for a photo. Once you're up, the price of getting the camel to kneel so you can climb down is surprisingly high. Avoid it: nothing that involves you being stuck somewhere is free.

Staged "accidents"

6. The dropped shoe brush

In Istanbul, a shoeshiner walks past and drops a brush. You pick it up and call after him; he thanks you by shining your shoes — and then demands a hefty fee. Avoid it: let the brush lie.

7. The found gold ring

In Paris, someone "finds" a gold ring at your feet and asks whether it's yours, then offers it to you for a "reward". It's costume jewelry. Avoid it: say no and walk on.

8. The ruined masterpiece

In Florence, prints are laid out on the pavement; step on the edge of one and the seller demands payment for the damage. Avoid it: watch where you walk in crowded streets and don't engage.

9. The mustard trick

In Buenos Aires, something that looks like bird droppings or mustard lands on your clothes, a helpful stranger rushes in to clean it — and your wallet or phone disappears. Avoid it: refuse help, hold your bag, step away and clean up later.

Friendly strangers and overpriced venues

10. The tea ceremony trap

Friendly "students" in Shanghai or Beijing ask you to take their photo, chat about practicing their English, then invite you to a traditional tea house. The bill for a few cups is astronomical, and there may be large men at the door. Avoid it: politely decline invitations from strangers to bars, tea houses or "their friend's" place.

11. Touts promising free entry

Street touts in Tokyo's Roppongi and Kabukicho, on Hamburg's Reeperbahn and in Sapporo's Susukino promise free entry, cheap drinks or all-you-can-drink deals. Inside, mandatory charges appear and staff won't let you leave until you pay. Avoid it: good bars don't need street touts.

12. "The palace is closed today"

Near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, a well-dressed local tells you it's closed for a holiday or ceremony and offers a cheap tuk-tuk tour — which ends at a tailor or jewelry shop that pays him a commission. Variants: free show tickets from friendly strangers in Pattaya, a "special wristband" you supposedly need at Chichén Itzá. Avoid it: go to the official entrance or ticket office and check for yourself.

13. Commission shops and "quality centers"

On excursions around Antalya and elsewhere in Turkey, guides stop at huge leather, gold or carpet "factories" where prices are inflated to cover their cut. Avoid it: buy from small independent shops and never feel obliged to purchase.

Taxis and transport

14. No meter, wrong route, "your hotel is closed"

The meter is "broken" (illegal, for example, in Abu Dhabi); the price is invented on the spot (tuk-tuks in Phuket); the meter spins at light speed (street taxis in Mexico City); an unofficial driver at Santiago airport charges many times the normal fare; or the driver claims your hotel is closed, to take you somewhere that pays commission (Arequipa). Avoid it: use ride-hailing apps such as Grab, Bolt or Uber, official taxi ranks or desks inside the terminal, and insist on the meter or a fixed price agreed in advance. In Pattaya, don't ask a songthaew driver the price before you get in — it turns a shared ride into a private taxi.

Games and pickpockets

15. The shell game

On Westminster Bridge in London, on Barcelona's La Rambla and around Berlin's Alexanderplatz, a crowd seems to be winning at "find the ball". The winners are part of the team, you can't win, and pickpockets work the onlookers. Avoid it: don't even stop to watch.

16. Pickpockets in crowds

Barcelona is notorious; the metro, busy squares and any sudden commotion are classic cover. In Naples and São Paulo, thieves on scooters snatch bags and phones. Avoid it: wear your backpack in front in crowds, keep your phone out of back pockets and away from the curb.

Bills and fakes

17. Hidden charges on the bill

"Catch of the day" priced by weight but with no price shown (Mykonos), surprise reservation fees at beach clubs (Bodrum), service charges already included but not mentioned so you tip twice (Miami's Ocean Drive), bread you didn't order (Plaka, Athens), "free" sunset cruises with mandatory drinks (Santorini). Avoid it: ask for prices before ordering and read every bill.

18. Fakes sold as the real thing

"Original" designer watches in Dubai's Deira, a perfect suit in 24 hours in Hong Kong, cheap "cashmere" in Edinburgh, "homemade" olive oil in plastic bottles by the roadside on Crete. Avoid it: if the price is too good to be true, so is the product. Buy from proper shops.

Five rules that defeat almost every scam

1. Don't accept anything handed to you on the street — objects, help or invitations.
2. Agree on prices before the service: photos, rides, meals priced by weight.
3. Check "closed" claims yourself at the official entrance or website.
4. Use official taxis or ride-hailing apps, especially from airports.
5. Walk away early. Scammers rely on politeness; you owe them none.

Scams by city in TripGist

Each city in TripGist has its own short section on local scams, next to neighborhoods, sights, food and tips, so you can read up on the plane. City-specific advice is also in our guides to Bangkok, Istanbul and Paris.